–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
June 11, 2026 (Liberty Park Sports Complex)
Harold Hagler, who celebrated his 85th birthday yesterday, was the winning pitcher in today’s late game, the longest, hottest game of the year. Harold took off his cap exposing his bandaged head. “Every year older I get, the better I am in my memories of what I used to be able to do.”
The early game pitted Green against Blue. Green manager Cecil Kwong was scrounging for substitutes as players were late to arrive on a hot, sultry morning. His first two batters made outs but then Jim Raley reached on a fielder’s choice, Bill Lovell drove him home with a double, and Cecil drove Bill in with another double. Blue scored 5 in the bottom of the first; Green couldn’t get anyone out as Edwin Yergen, Sid Hilton, Ken Sransky, Scott Wadsworth, Tom Wasmer, Rel Underwood and David Brasfield all reached base safely. Green settled down in the second and scored 5 on a Dan Peek hit, Pete Manown walk, Dinah Sewell fielder’s choice, and hits by David Ferguson, Gene Garcia, Jim Raley, Bill Lovell and Larry Enzweiler. Then Green held Blue to 3 runs to make it a one-run game after two innings. Blue runs were the result of consecutive hits by Ron Oliver, John Kuklinski, Brian Gierlatowicz, Rick Erdimer and Edwin Yergen, and Sid Hilton’s RBI fielder’s choice.
Blue shut out Green in the third and scored 2 more runs on a Tom Wasmer walk, Rel Underwood single, David Brasfield RBI hit, John Kuklinski’s hit and Brian G’s RBI fielder’s choice. Green got the 2 runs back in the top of the fourth on David Ferguson’s double, Gene Garcia’s RBI single, Jim Raley’s single and Larry Enzweiler’s RBI hit. But Blue scored another 5 in the bottom of the fourth on a string of 5 hits by Sid, Ken Sransky, Scott Wadsworth, Tom Wasmer, and Rel Underwood, a David Brasfield walk, Ron Oliver’s RBI walk, and John Kuklinski’s third hit. Blue 15, Green 9 after four.
Green cut the Blue lead to one run by scoring 5 in the fifth and shutting out Blue in the bottom of the inning. Green’s runs came on Dan Peek and Pete Manown’s singles, Dinah Sewell’s fielder’s choice, David Ferguson’s 2-run double, singles by Gene Garcia and Jim Raley, an RBI single by Mark Lilla (who finally showed up for what he thought was a 10:30 game), and two more RBI singles by Cecil and Larry Enzweiler. Blue 15, Green 14 after five. Then Green tied the game in the sixth by outscoring Blue 4 to 3. Joey Johnson (recently released from elementary education and back with RASSA temporarily) doubled to lead off for Green, Dan Peek got on base with a fielder’s choice, Pete Manown got a hit, Mike Madden (who also showed up just in time for the sixth inning) singled, David Ferguson hit a 2-run double, and Gene Garcia hit another 2-run double for Green’s 4 runs. Blue’s 3 runs resulted from a Sid Hilton double, a Ken Sransky single, a Scott Wadsworth 2-run double and Rel Underwood’s RBI single.
The teams went into the open 7th tied at 18. Despite hits by Cecil, Larry Enzweiler, and Pete Manown, Green was unable to score. Then Brian G hit a triple for Blue and Rick Erdimer drove him in with the game-winning hit. Blue 19, Green 18.
Blue batters were 24 for 37 with 7 walks for a .649 team batting average and a .705 on-base percentage. Rel Underwood was 3 for 3 with a walk and David Brasfield was 2 for 2 with 2 walks. Green hitters were 31 for 49 with 2 walks for a .633 team batting average and a .647 on-base percentage. Gene Garcia was 5 for 5, Larry Enzweiler and Pete Manown were both 4 for 4 with a walk, Bill Lovell was 2 for 2, and Mike Madden was 1 for 1.
The second game started late because the first game ran long. The early June heat and humidity was at a peak as Sky Blue’s last two players walked up just as the game was starting. They scored 5 right off the bat. Chuck Killough, Gary Singleton, Scott Wadsworth and Royce O’Donnell started off with hits and Clarence Kornegay walked. Ken Sransky and Jeff Tyler finished the inning with RBI hits. Red came back with 3 on singles by Jim Raley and Harold Fincher, and RBI hits by Bill Lovell, Wayne Graham, and Buddy Cannon. Both teams scored 1 run in the second. Sky Blue eked out their run with a Mike Bailey walk, a Chuck Killough fielder’s choice, and Gary Singleton’s RBI hit where Chuck ran home while Gary got caught in a rundown between first and second. Holly Whitmire scored the Red run when she led off with a triple and was driven in by Dick Baguley’s hit. Then Red outscored Sky Blue 3 to 1 in the third to tie the game at 7. Finch and Pete DiCiarra got hits for Red and Wayne Graham drove them in with a 2-run triple. Buddy Cannon drove in Wayne for the third run. Clarence Kornegay led off with a double for Sky Blue and scored on a Royce O’Donnell sacrifice fly.
Sky Blue took the lead back in the fourth by scoring 5 and shutting Red out. Jeff Tyler, Glenn Little, Mike Bailey, Chuck Killough, Clarence Kornegay, Scott Wadsworth, and Royce O’Donnell got the hits and runs for Sky Blue. Sky Blue scored another 5 in the fifth while holding Red to 4 and took a 6-run lead, 17 to 11. Sky Blue’s runs came on a Ken Sransky walk, hits by Jeff Tyler, Glenn Little and Mike Bailey, a Chuck Killough 3-run single, and Clarence Kornegay’s single. Red scored 4 when Jim Raley, Mike Whitehurst, and Pete DiCiarra loaded the bases with walks and Bill Lovell drove in a run with another walk. Wayne Graham got an RBI single and Buddy Cannon drove in 2 more. But Sky Blue snuffed the fifth run when Wayne got thrown out trying to score on a Lisa Phipps fly ball. The highlight of the inning was Royce O’Donnell’s diving catch at the fence of Finch’s sinking line drive. “I end up on the ground in most a the games I play in, but it’s not usually on purpose.” Royce pointed out. Neither team scored in the sixth and Sky Blue entered the open 7th with a six-run lead. They quickly stretched the lead to 11. Jeff Tyler doubled to lead off but the next two batters made outs. Then Chuck Killough drove in Jeff with a double, Gary Singleton drove in Chuck with a single and Clarence Kornegay hit a 2-run homer. Red matched Sky Blue’s 4 runs on hits by Jim Raley and Mike Whitehurst, an RBI single by Finch, and Pete DiCiarra’s 2-run triple. Bill Lovell drove in Pete, but the Red rally ended there and Sky Blue won, 21 to 15.
Sky Blue hitters were 29 for 44 with 3 walks for a .659 team batting average and a .681 on-base percentage. Clarence Kornegay was 4 for 4 with a walk, Jeff Tyler was 4 for 4 and Gary Singleton was 3 for 3 with a sacrifice fly. Red hitters were 22 for 40 with 6 walks for a .550 team batting average and a .609 on-base percentage. Wayne Graham was 4 for 4 and Holly Whitmire was 2 for 2 with a walk.
RASSA Masters were sweaty and tired after the game, but thankful they are still able to enjoy the game they love and the camaraderie that goes with it.